Hay-stacker.



PATBNTED OCT. 1, 1907.

J. DAIN. HAY STAGKER. APPLICATION FILED APR.1,1907.

5 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

Tm: mamas PETERS cc. WASHINGTON. n. c

PATENTED OCT. 1, 1907.

" DAIN.

HAY STAGKBR. v

EPPLIUATION FILED APE. 1,1907.

J. DAIN.

HAY STAGKER.

PATENTED OUT. 1, 1907.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 1, 1907.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ms NORRIS PETERS 50., wnsnmarou. a. c.

No.867,248- PATENTED 0011,1907.

' J. DAIN.

HAY STAGKER.

APPLICATION 21m) APB.1,1907.

6 SHEBTS- SHBET 4- UNITED STATES PATENT ornrcn.

JOSEPH DAIN, OF OTTUMWA, IOWA.

HAY-STACKER.

Application filed April 1,

Wapello, State of Iowa, have invented-certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Stackers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to hay stackers designed to lift hay that is moved upon the forwardly-extending teeth of a carrier that is pivotally connected with a suitable supporting frame, the elevation of the carrier being accomplished in the usual manner by power applied to a lifting rope or ropes.

My invention has for its objects to provide an improved construction of supporting frame wherein one member at each side thereof acts both as a bracing element of said frame and also as a means upon which a coiled cushioning spring is mounted; to provide means for holding said cushioning springs out of action when desired without removing the same from the brace rods upon which they are mounted; to provide improved means upon said brace rod to receive the lower end of said spring and to provide in connection with said spring-receiving means an improved device for adjustably attaching the flexible connection that extends to the pivoted carrier; to provide an improved construction of pivoted carrier frame; to provide improved means for connecting the lifting rods that extend between one of the lifting frames of the machine and the pivoted carrier frame; to provide improved means for adjusting to any desired position the series of adjustable teeth that are located at the rear ends of the series of longer teeth at the forward end of the pivoted carrier frame; and to improve generally the construction and operation of hay stackers of this general type.

In the drawings:Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, showing the parts in position to receive a load of hay. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the pivoted carrier in its raised position. Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken at line 4 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 5 is a detail, being a side elevation of a portion of the carrier frame and illustrating particularly the manner of securing in place one of the cushioning springs. Fig.

6 is a detail, being a top or plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail on a larger scale, being a vertical section through one of the supports for the cushioning spring, and illustrating also the device against which the lower end of the spring bears and to which a flexible connection that extends to one of the lifting frames is attached. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of the device shown in Fig. 7 against which the lower end of one of the cushioning springs bears. Fig. 9 is a detail, being a vertical section taken at line 9 9 of Fig.

10, through a portion of the front end of the pivoted carrier frame and illustrating particularly the means em- Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1907.

1907. Serial No. 365,786-

ployed for varying the inclination of the set of pivoted teeth at the rear ends of the longer hay-receivin g teeth. Fig. 10 is a detail, being a top or plan view of a portion larly the adjusting means shown in Fig. 9, and also illustrating one of the corner plates that serves the double purpose of connecting one of the side bars of the pivoted frame and the cross bar connected therewith and also of acting as a means for enabling one of the lifting rods that extends between one of the lifting frames and this pivoted carrier frame to be detachably connected at its lower end to said pivoted carrier frame. Fig. 11 is a top or plan view of the corner iron referred to in describing Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a detail, being an enlarged vertical section at line 12 12 of Fig. 10.

Referring to the several figures of the drawingsz-15 15 indicate the side bars of the supporting frame, said side bars being connected at their rear ends by a cross bar 16, and near their forward ends connected by an axle 17 The cross bar 16 rests, as shown, upon the upper edges of the side bars 15, and projects slightly beyond said side bars, and to such projecting ends are suitably attached brackets 18 that furnish a pivotal support for the carrier hereinafter described. The axle 17 rests upon and is suitably secured to brackets 19 that in turn are rigidly affixed to the upper edges of the side bars 15 of the supporting frame. 20 indicate Wheels journaled upon said axle 17.

and each affixed to one of the side bars 15, these posts, in the construction shown, being affixed against the inner faces of said side bars.

22 indicates diagonal braces, one at each side of the machine, each brace being secured at its rear end by bolts or otherwise to the upper edge of one of the side bars 15, and at its forward and upper end secured to a bracket 23 that is securely aflixed to the upper end of the post 21 at that side of the machine.

24 indicates a cylindrical bar, preferably a piece of pipe, extending diagonally downward from each post 21 to one of the axle brackets 19. This bar 24 is securely affixed at its upper end to the bracket. 23, and at its lower end to the said axle bracket 19. These bars 24 serve not only as a bracing element in the construction of the supporting frame, but also serve as supports for the cushioning springs hereinafter described.

25 indicates a cross brace extending between the side bars 15 of the supporting frame, said cross brace, in the construction shown, passing through suitable slots or openings formed in the lower ends of the short upright posts 21 and having its ends resting upon the upper edges of said side bars 15.

26 indicates diagonal rods extending across the rear portion of the supporting frame and acting to further stiffen said frame.

27 27 indicate the side bars of the pivoted carrier of the pivoted carrier frame, and illustrating particu 21 indicate two short posts placed opposite each other frame, said side bars being secured at their rear ends upon suitable pivots 28 carried by and preferably formed with the brackets 18 hereinbefore referred to. Extending across the front ends of these side bars 27 of the pivoted carrier frame is a cross bar 29 which extends at each end some distance beyond said side bars 27, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper and lower faces of the cross bar 29 are flush with the upper and lower faces of the said side bars 27, and this is so in order that the extensible portion of the pivoted carrier frame may lie snugly upon the upper faces of the said side bars 27 and project forward of the said cross bar 29, and also that the corner braces formed of the plates shown in Fig. 11 may rest smoothly against the under faces of said side bars 27 and cross bar 29, which corner plates will be fully described hereinafter. The extensible portion of the carrier frame to which I have referred is composed of two bars 30 and two diagonal bars 31, to which are connected at their forward ends the series of teeth which receive the hay that is to be lifted, The bars 30 lie directly upon the side bars 27 of the carrier frame, being retained in position by any desired number of suitable clips 32 which are secured to said bars 27, and these bars 30 are locked to the bars 27 by any suitable means, as, for example, by bolts 33, upon the projecting ends of which the tightening levers or nuts 34 can be applied. By removing the bolts 33, the extensible portion of the carrier frame can be adjusted as desired, and when adjusted to the proper position the bolts 33 will be put through other holes, a number of which will be provided in the side bars 27, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3, and the parts again locked in position by means of the nuts or levers 34. The diagonal bars 31 referred to extend from near the rear ends of the bars 30 forward and over the projecting ends of the cross bar 29 upon which they will rest and receive support.

35 36 indicate cross-heads spaced a short distance apart and each extending across and being secured to the bars 30 and 31 of the pivoted carrier.

37 37 indicate a series of forwardly-extending teeth secured upon the underside of the cross-heads, upon which teeth hay intended to be lifted is placed by means of a sweep rake or otherwise. Each of these teeth at its forward end is provided with a flexible finger 38, the purpose and construction of which need no description here as they form no part of my present invention but are made the subject-matter of my pending application filed July 9,1907, Serial Number 325,410.

39 indicates a series of teeth pivotally attached to the sides of the teeth 37 near the rear ends of the teeth 37. Extending transversely of the machine and connected with the series of teeth 39 and, in the construction shown, in the rear thereof, is a bar 40 which is shown as in the form of a tube.

41 indicates rods having their rear ends formed into eyes 42 which encircle the bar 40, and at their forward ends are turned downward to form a hook end 43.

45 indicates plates provided with a series of holes 46, and each plate being pivotally attached in place at its forward end, the attachment as shown being by means of a small bolt 47 passing through the forward end of one of the bars 30 of the pivoted carrier frame. Each plate 45 is located in line with one of therods 41 and .the rear end of each plate is upturned and provided with a hole 48 through which the rod passes.

By reason of the rod 41 being thus passed through the opening in the upturned end of the plate 45, these two parts 41 and 45 will be kept connected together; but, as shown, the hook end 43 of the rod 41 passes through one of the holes 46 in the plate 45 and thereby the series of teeth 39 at the rear end of the longer forwardly-extemling teeth 37 will be kept in a fixed position with respect to said longer teeth 37, but when it is desired to change the inclination of the series of pivoted teeth 39 the hook end 43 can be readily disengaged from the opening that it is in and inserted in one of the other openings, this disengagement of the hook end 43 being readily permitted by the free time ing of the eye portion 42 on the bar 40 and also by reason of the hole 48 in the upturned end of the plate 45 being, as will be seen in Fig. 9, larger than the diameter of the rod 41. The play allowed the plate 45 at its lower end by reason of its pivotal connection also aids in permitting the ready disengagement of the hook end 43 from one of the holes. Notwithstanding that such hook end is easily disengaged in the manner stated, there will be a perfectly firm connection formed by the parts 41 and 45 when interlocked in the manner shown, so that there is no liability of the series of teeth 39 being accidentally moved from the position into which they have been adjusted.

49 50 indicate two lifting frames each consisting of a pair of bars, the lifting frame 49 being pivotally connected to pivots projecting from the inner faces of the brackets 23, and the frame 50 being pivotally mounted on the axle 17. The bars of each of these frames are inclined towards each other at their upper ends, and the said frames are joined together at their upper ends by a rigid connection 51, the ends of which are pivotally attached to said frames 49 and 50.

52 indicates diagonal braces each extending from the inner end of one of the pivots that the lifting frame 49 is supported upon to the upper edge of the cross brace 25.

53 indicates a pulley suitably journaled in the upper end of the lifting frame 50, and 54 indicates another pulley pivotally mounted in a yoke secured to the inner face of the rear cross bar 16 of the supporting frame.

55 indicates a third pulley pivotally mounted in a block that is loosely attached so as to be turned in any direction to the upper face of said rear cross bar 10.

56 indicates a rope made fast at one end to a pivoted yoke 57 pivotally attached to the upper end of the lifting frame 50 and arranged to run over the various pulleys named, substantially as shown in my patent dated January 8, 1907, No. 840,477. It will be understood that by applying power to the free end of this rope the lifting frames 49 and 50 will be turned on their respective pivots, all as described in said patent.

58 indicates two rods loosely attached at their upper ends to the upper end of the lifting frame 4.) and connected at their lower ends to the carrier frame so that when said lifting frames are turned backward by means of the rope 56 the carrier frame will be elevated.

I connect; the lower ends of these rods 58 to two eerner plates 59, which, as best shown in Fig. ll, are. as constructed, of triangular shape. whieh eorner plates are secured to the under faces of the side bars 27 and cross bar 29 of the carrier frame and act to more rigidly bind these parts of the carrier frame together, as well as serving as means for the attachment of the rods 58. As will be seen by reference to Fig. 11, each of these plates 59 is provided with an opening 60 at opposite sides of which are formed notches 61, and on the lower ends of the rods 58 are formed eyes 62 which are too large to pass through the openings 60 unless said eyes are so turned as to be in line with the notches 61. 'The normal position of these rods is such that the eyes are crosswise of the openings 60, or in other words stand at an angle to the notches 61. When the rods are turned to bring their eyes in line with said notches, the eyes can be forced through the openings and when so forced through there is to be passed through each eye a retaining pin 63 that is bent at its central portion to form a loop (see Fig. 12) which central loop portions engage the eyes 62. After the pins have been so engaged with the eyes, the rods 58 are to be drawn up through the openings 60, the loop portions of the pins also projecting through the openings and the straight portions of the pins bearing against the under faces of the plates. A slight axial turning of the rods brings their eyes out of line with the notches 61 and thereby the rods are effectively connected with the carrier frame, but in a manner that will permit their ready disengagement whenever desired. If the rods do not resume their normal position otherwise, the placing of a load on the teeth 37 will insure such rods turning so as to be locked as described to their respective plates 59.

64 indicates a coiled spring placed around each brace rod 24 hereinbe'fore referred to, and 65 indicates a slide also mounted on said brace rod 24, said slide being located at the lower end of said coiled spring 64 and being, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, cup-shaped in order to receive the lower end of said spring. Formed with this slide is a finger 66 the upper end of which is turned back upon itself to form a hook 67.

68 indicates a ring projecting laterally from the finger 66 near its upper end and surrounding the hook portion 67.

6970 indicate a flexible connection,two of such connections being provided, one at each side of the niachine,each connection consisting, in the construction shown, of a rope portion, 69 and a chain portion 70. Each connection 69-70 is connected to the carrier frame and to one of the slides 65. As shown, the rope portion of each connection is secured to the under surface of the front cross bar 29 of the carrier frame adjacent to the point of connection. of said cross bar with one of the side bars of the carrier frame, and the chain portion of each of said flexible connections is connected to one of the slides (35, the attachment to tire-slide being had by the hook carried by the slide passing through one of the links of the chain. It is evident that adjustment can be made as desired by inserting said hook into any one of the various links of the chain. The chain also passes"through the ring 68 and is thereby held more securely in place, as it is less liable to become disconnected from the hook.

7]. indicates a pin fastened to the end of each chain portion 70, which pin is adapted to be inserted in a hole 72 (see Fig. 7) that is formed in the brace rod 24. There are occasions when it is desirable to put out of use temporarily the coiled springs 64 on these brace rods 24, and in order to accomplish this the springs are to be compressed until their lower ends are above the holes 72, after which the pins 71 carried by the chains 70 will be inserted in said holes 72. It will be understood, of course, that these holes 72 are so located in the brace rod 24 that under normal conditions of use the springs will not be compressed so that their lower ends will pass these openings 72, and therefore it will be evident that if such springs are held compressed by the pins 71 being passed through such holes 72 they will be held far enough up on the rods to meet the requirement of being temporarily put out of use under normal conditions.

73 indicates two small runners, the vertical shanks of which are loosely journaled in suitable brackets secured near the rear ends of the side bars 15 of the supporting frame.

There are many decided advantages in construction and operation in the machine herein shown and described over previously existing machines of this general type. For example, with the cushioning springs arranged in the novel manner described, such springs are maintained at all times in position so that as the carrier frame approaches the limit of its upward movement a very direct application of power is imparted to compress the springs, which, in practice, is found very superior to applying the power to springs placed more at an angle to the tightening flexible connections, and by utilizing the comparatively long cylindrical brace rods 24, I am able to use a long spring and thereby of course obtain correspondingly better cushioning effects. As before pointed out, while these brace rods form most efficient spring supports, they at the same time act as effective braces for the supporting frame.

It has been common heretofore to connect the rods that unite the lifting frame and the carrier frame to the extensible portion of such carrier frame, and consequently such rods have been made in sections so as to be extensible to compensate for the different positions into which the extensible portion of the carrier frame might be adjusted. By my present invention I connect the lower ends of these rods through the corner plates 59 directly to the fixed portion of the carrier frame, and by such construction am able to dispense with divided rods inasmuch as the extensible portion of the carrier frame can be adjusted as desired without in any wise interfering with said rods. By making the connection of these rods to the under or relatively fixed portion of the carrier frame there is, of course, no strain on the clips that connect the sliding or extensible portion of the carrier frame to the under or relatively fixed portion, as there always is when these rods are secured to the said upper extensible portion. The plates 59, in addition to forming very eflicient means for connecting these rods to the carrier frame, act as braces to hold the side bars of the carrier frame and the front cross bar 29 rigidly together. This front cross bar 29, by being extended at each end out beyond the side bars 27, serves to support the forward ends of the usual diagonal bars 31, thus adding materially to the stiffness of the carrier frame as a whole. The cylindrical bar 40 that connects together the various teeth 39 against which the hay presses as the carrier frame is being lifted serves, in addition to this function of connecting the teeth, as a suitable pivot on which the eyes of the rods 41 fit, and, by the use of these rods 41 so journaled in place in combination with the apertured plates 45 With which they cooperate, very eflicient means are provided for holding the series of teeth 39 in proper adjusted position and at the same time allowing a different adjustment to be readily made.

In addition to the functions already ascribed to the bar 40, it is of value in another respect, and such value is attributable to its cylindrical or rounded shape. In this connection I would explain that when drawing a rake loaded with hay onto or over the series of teeth 37, the teeth of the rake are often carried from fourteen to sixteen inches off of the ground at their points and consequently will be apt to strike against this cross-bar. When such cross-bar has a flat surface and the ends of the rake-teeth strike against it, the rake will be brought to a sudden stop that will jar the horses shoulders and is liable to damage either the cross-bar or rake-teeth or both, but by making this cross-bar with a rounded front portion,-or cylindrical, as shown in the drawings,such rounded surface will guide the rake teeth either up or down when such teeth strike the bar, so that no damage or injury will result to the horses or any part of the machinery.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a hay stacker, the combination with a supporting frame, of a carrier frame pivotally connected with said supporting frame,said carrier frame comprising side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars at their forward ends and having its ends projecting beyond said side bars, and an extensible portion resting upon said bars and said projecting ends,and means for elevating said carrier frame.

2. In a hay stacker,the combination with a pivoted carrier frame comprising side bars and a front cross bar, of means connecting said side bars and cross bars together, rods connected with said means, and devices for raising said carrier frame by exerting a pull on said rods.

In a hay stacker, the combination with a pivoted can rier frame comprising side bars and a front cross bar, of plates at each front corner of said frame, said plates being connected to the said side bars-and to the said cross bar, rods connected with said plates, and devices for raising said carrier frame by exerting a pull on said rods.

4. In a hay stacker, the combination with a pivoted carrier frame comprising side bars and a front cross bar, of plates at each front corner of said frame, each of said plates being provided with an opening, rods having eyes on their lower ends adapted to pass through said openings, de vices adapted to pass through said eyes to connect said rods to said plates, and devices for raising said carrier frame by exerting a pull on said rods.

5. In a hay stacker, the combination with a pivoted carrier frame comprising side bars and a front bar, of plates at each front corner of said frame, each of said plates being provided with an elongated opening, rods having eyes on their lower ends adapted to pass through such openings, pins having loops at their centers adapted to be passed through said rods and have their bowed central portions project through said openings in the plates when the rods are raised, and means for raising said carrier frame by exerting a pull on said rods.

6. In a hay stacker, the combination with a supporting frame provided near its front end with a fixed downwardly and forwardly inclined bar, of a spring mounted on said bar, a pivoted carrier frame, means for elevating said carrier frame, and a flexible connection connected with said elevating means and said spring.

7. In ahay stacker, the combination with a supporting frame provided near its front end with a fixed downwardly and forwardly inclined bar, of a spring mounted on said bar, a pivoted carrier frame, means for elevating said carrier frame, a flexible connection connected with said elevating means and said spring, and means for holding said spring on said rod out of operative position.

8. In a hay stacker, the combination with a supporting frame provided near its front end with a fixed downwardly and forwardly inclined bar having a transverse opening therein, of a spring mounted on said bar, a pivoted c: "'or frame, means for elevating said carrier frame a flexible connection connected with said elevating menus and said spring, and a pin adapted to be inserted in the opening in the inclined bar to hold said spring raised out of operative position.

5). In a hay stacker, the combination with :1 supporting frame provided near its front end with a fixed downwardly and forwardly inclined bar having a transverse opening therein, of a spring mounted on said bar, a pivoted carrier frame, means for elevating said carrier frame, a flexible connection secured at one end to said elevating means and adjustably connected at its other end with said spring, and a pin carried by said flexible connection and adapted to be inserted in said opening in the inclined bar to hold said spring raised out of operative position.

10. In a hay stacker, the combination with a supporting frame provided near its front end with a fixed doumwnrdly and forwardly inclined bar, of a spring mounted on said bar, a slide on said bar against which the lower end of said spring bears, a pivoted carrier frame, means for clovating said carrier frame, and a flexible connection socured at one end to said elevating means and adjustably connected at its other end with said slide.

11. In a hay stacker, the combination with a supporting frame provided near its front end with a fixed downwardly and forwardly inclined bar, of a spring mounted on said bar, a slide on said bar against which the lower end of said spring bears, a hook on said slide, a pivoted carrier frame, means for elevating said carrier frame, and :r flexible connection comprising a series of links at its lower end, said flexible connection being secured at its upper end to said elevating means and having its lower end rcmovubly attached to said hook by one of said links.

12. In a hay stacker, the combination with a supporlin! frame provided near its front end with a fixed downwardly and forwardly inclined bar, of a spring mounted on said bar, a slide on said bar against which the lower end of said spring bcars, a hook on said slide, a laicrallvploiociing guide ring also carried by said slide, a pivoted carrier frame, means for elevating said carrier frame, and a iloxi ble connection comprising a series of links at its lower cud, said flexible connection being secured at its upper end to said elevating means and having its lower end passing through said guide ring and removably attached to said hook by one of 'said links.

13. In a hay stacker, the combination with :1 supporting frame comprising a side bar, a post rising therefrom, and diagonal brace bars extending downwardly from said post toward the front and rear of the machine respectively, of a spring mounted on the forwardly-extcnding one of said brace bars, a pivoted carrier frame, means for elevating said carrier frame, and :1 flexible connection connected with said elevating means and said spring.

14. In a hay stacker, the combination with a pivoted carrier having a series of forwardly-projccting teeth at its front end and a series of pivoted teeth located near the rear ends of said first-namcd teeth, of a cylindrical bar extending transversely of and connected to said secondnamed series of teeth, and an adjusting device comprising a rod pivotally attached to said bar and a plate secured at its lower end to said carrier, said rod and plate being adjustably connected together.

15. In a hay stacker, the combination with a pivoted carrier having a series of forwardly-projocting teeth at its front end and a series of pivoted teeth located near the rear ends of said first-named teeth, of a bar extending transversely of and connected to said second-namcd series of teeth,-and an adjusting device comprising a rod having an eye at its rear end encircling said bar so as to rotuiably hold said rod to said bar and having a hook formed on its lower end, and a plate secured to said carrier frame and provided with a plurality of holes through any one of which the said hook is adapted to be passed, said plate having its upper or free end turned and provided with an opening through which latter opening said rod passes.

16. In a hay-stacker, the combination with a pivoted carrier having a series of forwardly-projecting teeth at its front end and a series of pivoted teeth located near the rear ends of said first-named teeth, of a cylindrical bar ex- 10 tending transversely of and connected to said second named series of teeth, and an adjusting device pivotally mounted on said cylindrical bar and connected with said forwardly-projecting teeth.

JOSEPH DAIN.

Witnesses PRICE GooosoN, W. G. DUFFIELD. 

